A young child lost her life due to her mother’s negligence. Asiah, who was only 20 months old at the time of her death, died of starvation after she was left home all by herself while her mother was celebrating her birthday in places 50 miles away from Brighton where the baby girl lived. The mother, then 18-year-old Verphy Kudi, and the baby girl were living in a ‘supported housing’ block for young families run by the YMCA on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council, as per The Sun.
The tragedy took place in December 2019, and this month, Kudi was charged with manslaughter of her daughter and given nine years in prison.
The mother admitted she was guilty and broke down at the courtroom upon hearing her sentence.
After partying away from home for nearly 6 days, Kudi got back home to find her daughter unresponsive. She was the one who called the emergency services, but it was already too late. The girl was dead.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they saw Kudi “incoherent, distressed and distraught” while her daughter was lying on the floor.
Photos show Kudi partying in London with her boyfriend and then heading to south-east London where she had a DJ announce her birthday. After that, she went to Coventry to have some more fun and celebrate her birthday with her friends before she got back home to her daughter after five days, 21 hours, and 58 minutes.
According to BBC, Judge Christine Laing QC said in court: “It is almost unbearable to contemplate her suffering in the final days of her life, suffering that she endured so that you could celebrate your birthday and the birthdays of your friends as a carefree teenager,” describing Kudi as deceitful and manipulative. “You knew full well you should not be doing what you were doing,” the judge was reported to have added.
“It goes without saying that this is a particularly tragic case and it no doubt raises strong emotions in all who hear of it, but everyone should bear in mind that the charge I sentence you for is one of manslaughter, it being accepted that you did not intend to cause Asiah death nor to cause her really serious harm,” the judge stated.
Kudi’s estranged family explained that she became pregnant after she fell victim of sexual exploitation. They released a statement which read: “We are saddened by the current situation and as a family, we have many unanswered questions. Verphy has experienced so much at such a young age and we have always done what we can to support her. As a family, we are in the midst of an unbearable tragedy,” as reported by The Sun.
I’m sympathetic towards #VerphyKudi because her age at the time of the unfortunate incident and she was at a mother and care unit RAN BY A CHARITY. They are just as responsible. And if I remember her story correctly she was went missing in her mid teens…SHE NEEDS COUNSELLING
— Versatile Onochie-Obayuwana (@RealVersatile) August 6, 2021
We are so very sorry for little Asiah, she deserved to be loved and cared for. May she rest in peace.
Featured image is representational